Alain ChambonSet designer

In the 1970s, after studying literature and philosophy, Alain Chambon enrolled at the Institute of Theatre Studies (University of Paris III – New Sorbonne). Whilst there, he met two teachers who would prove pivotal in his career: Jacques Guimet and Jacques Lassalle. Jacques Guimet gave students the opportunity to participate in an experimental project with professionals from the performing arts—something for which Alain Chambon designed the sets. After seeing those sets, Jacques Lassalle, a producer and director during the period of the Studio-Théâtre in Vitry, hired him to be a set designer for his company. A series of collaborations would follow which Chambon regarded as a form of “on-the-job training” but which by definition was unachievable given that each new production was considered to be a prototype where everything remained to be discovered and learned—in particular, the infinite possibilities of so-called “Italian-style” theatre. Since 1975, he has created the sets for over 110 productions—primarily in the theatre. He has chosen to collaborate regularly or occasionally with directors of vastly different preoccupations and aesthetics, including Philippe Adrien, Jacques Alric, Pierre Ascaride, Jean-Claude Auvray, Frédéric Bélier‑Garcia, Jean‑Louis Benoit, Didier Bezace, Jean Bouchaud, Gilles Bouillon, Yves Bureau, Agnès Célerier, Joëlle Chambon, Pierre Constant, Philippe Crubézy, Jean Dautremay, Richard Demarcy, Christian Drillaud, Jacques Echantillon, Christian Gavarry, Daniel Girard, Yves Gourmelon, Jacques Guimet, Bernard Habermayer, Pierre‑Etienne Heymann, Alain Knapp, Françoise Kourilsky, Jacques Lassalle, Jean‑Marie Lehec, Jacques Livchine, Alain Mollot, Jacques Nichet, Alain Ollivier, Solange Oswald, Gloria Paris, Jacques Pieller, Dominique Pitoiset, Hichem Rostom-Petit, Josanne Rousseau, Gilbert Rouvière, Jean-Claude Sachot, Dominique Sarrazin, Philippe Torreton, and Guy Vassal.